Another Way to Meet
by Phantom of a Rose
Summary: Kurt was never sent to spy on The Warblers and the first time he meets Blaine is at Sectionals. AU Klaine


**So I know this has probably been done before, but I wanted to put my own spin on it. It is a story of "what if Kurt and Blaine didn't meet until the day of Sectionals." This means Kurt wasn't sent to spy and never transferred - I hope you like it!**

**GLEE**

Kurt sat on the ground just outside the New Directions dressing room back stage at Sectionals, his knees pulled up to his chest, his heart beating wildly. Why was he so _nervous_? When Mr. Shuester had asked him if he wanted to do a solo at Sectionals, Kurt had almost fainted. He wasted no time in saying yes, and was especially touched when Mr. Shue asked him to sing "I Want To Hold Your Hand". He said it had been very moving and thought that it could win us Sectionals.

Kurt hadn't been nervous at all until that morning when they arrived at the theatre. He had been practicing diligently and perfecting the performance any time he could, so he knew he was ready.

Then these nerves hit him. He couldn't be in that dressing room full of drama - Rachel had just found out that Finn had slept with Santana last year and the week had been just…unbearable. Living with Finn, especially.

"Are you ok?"

Kurt jumped slightly at the voice in the quiet hall (he thought he heard some shouting from the dressing room next to him, though) and looked up. Standing in front of him (was he a ninja or was Kurt _that _out of it?) was another boy dressed in an unflattering navy blazer with an embroidered red "D" and grey slacks.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," said the boy with a nervous smile.

"No, it's ok," said Kurt automatically. To be fair, he had a reason to be jumpy. Karofsky had grown in his bullying ways since the beginning of the year, always shoving him into lockers and calling him names. It had been almost unbearable to be at school.

The boy smiled down at him and pointed to the wall next to Kurt. "Do you mind?" Kurt stared at him for a long moment before he realized that the boy was asking for permission to sit next to him. Kurt nodded hastily. The boy sat down next to Kurt, much closer than all the boys in Glee ever dared to sit next to him, actually. Once he had sat, the boy looked over to him with a grin and Kurt noticed that his hair was slicked back in a very preppy style (it matched his jacket, Kurt supposed) but really, there was such a thing as too much product.

"So you look like someone killed your cat or something," said the boy.

Kurt let out a burst of breath. "No," said Kurt. "I'm just…well, nervous."

The boy raised an eyebrow. "Ah, are you one of the performers for the competition today?" Kurt nodded quickly. "Well, there's no reason to be nervous. I'm sure it will go fine."

"I'm usually not nervous," said Kurt, and for a moment he wondered why he was suddenly saying everything to this boy, who he didn't even know. "But I…this is the first time I've had a solo in competition," he said in a soft voice. "We need to win to even keep our Glee club going at our school and that's a lot of pressure."

The boy's face softened. "Ah," he said. "Well, the solo you're doing today, does it hold a certain…meaning to you? The song? The fact that you've gotten a solo?"

Kurt looked at the boy with wide eyes. "The song…it's for my dad," said Kurt quietly. "I sang it…when he had his heart attack and we weren't sure if he would make it. And in a way, for my mom as well…" Kurt sighed and broke eye contact with the boy, looking down at his hands, which were white with the force he was using to clutch his knees. As he stared, there was suddenly another hand on top of his.

"I'm sorry to hear that," said the boy. He took a deep breath. "Just…focus on that when you're singing later, on stage. Don't focus on the crowd or the pressure, just sing for that reason and you'll be fine."

Kurt looked over and smiled at the boy, nodded and tried to keep the blush off his cheeks. The boy moved his hand then and moved to stand up. He turned around and…offered his hand down to Kurt. Kurt hesitantly put his hand in the boy's and he helped him up.

"My name is Blaine, by the way," said the boy with a grin.

"Kurt," he said, breathless.

"Kurt," he said with a smile. "Break a leg, Kurt." He nodded and then started walking down the hall and turned the corner.

"Kurt!" said Rachel, suddenly appearing next to him. "We're suppose to be in the audience now," she said as the rest of the group walked out of the dressing room silently and stewing. Mr. Shuester looked angry, but Kurt could tell he said something to make the group of hormonal and drama prone teenagers listen.

Kurt took a seat next to Rachel and Mercedes in the audience. The announcer told them that the group "The Warblers" would be performing. Mr. Shue had mentioned them once, when he got the letter from the Show Choir Committee. The curtains parted and -

The stage was full of boys in the same blazer the boy - Blaine - had been wearing.

And Blaine himself was standing center stage, more or less directly in front of Kurt.

Oh.

The acapella group began to make noises that intimidated background instruments, doing a sort of step to the side and then changing to the other.

Blaine stepped forward, grinning proudly and began to sing.

"_You think I'm pretty_

_Without any makeup on_

_You think I'm funny_

_When I tell the punchline wrong_

_I know you get me_

_So I let my walls come down, down._"

It was…"Teenage Dream" by Katy Perry? Kurt didn't particularly like the singer, though he had found her songs stuck in his head on more than one occasion.

Kurt could definitely get used to Blaine singing her songs, however. His voice was…beautiful. And Kurt had to admire the fact that the all boy group was singing a song by a female artist.

The all boy group continued the song, Blaine singing lead - and Kurt realized he had been speaking to the lead soloist of his competition earlier. Oh god. And he told him how nervous he was about just one solo. He must think that Kurt was a wimp or something - and besides this, Kurt had been, what, fraternizing with the enemy?

"_I'mma get your heart racing_

_In my skin tights jeans_

_Be your teenage dream tonight_

_Let you put your hands on me_

_In my skin tight jeans_

_Be your teenage dream tonight_."

For the end, the acapella group cut the background sounds and sang as a whole group, their voices echoing with a chill. The audience around New Directions had been eating up the performance and clapped loudly, some female voices catcalling. Kurt found himself clapping wildly, though Rachel glared at him.

Next, two other boys in the formation stepped forward, a tall blond and a boy with messy black hair, and stood next to Blaine.

The group behind them began a slower beat than the song previous. The black haired boy sang first, in a rich voice:

"_Beauty queen of only eighteen_

_She had some trouble with herself_

_He was always there to help her_

_She always belonged to someone else_."

The blonde stepped forward and sang the next verse, his voice a bit edger than either Blaine or the other boy's.

"_I drove for miles and miles_

_And wound up at your door_

_I've had you so many times but somehow_

_I want more."_

Then finally Blaine sang again - had Kurt really been waiting for his voice? - his voice just as dreamy as before.

"_I don't mind spending everyday_

_Out on your corner in the pouring rain_

_Look for the girl with the broken smile_

_Ask her if she wants to stay awhile_

_And she will be loved_

_She will be loved."_

The rest of the song continued, and while the other two boys had stepped up, it was obvious that Blaine was still taking the lead for the most part. He was, Kurt hated to admit, the Rachel Berry of the Warblers - lead soloist. Kurt couldn't exactly deny that it wasn't unwarranted. His voice was to die for, honestly.

The two boys stepped back into formation as Blaine sang the ending lyrics, softly and full of feeling.

"_Yeah_

_I don't mind spending everyday_

_Out on your corner in the pouring rain_

_Try so hard to say goodbye_."

The curtain closed on the Warblers, though the crowd still applauded loudly. Kurt stood numbly, following the rest of New Directions backstage.

"Those Warblers are actually really good," said Mercedes sadly as they stood backstage.

"I mean, we got the Hipsters beat," said Puck. "Even though they're adorable. But those gay guys actually worked the crowd."

Kurt glared at Puck. "Just because they're an all-boys school doesn't mean they're all gay, Puckerman."

"You guys, it will be fine," said Mr. Shuester. "Just get out there and try your best." He looked at Kurt. "You ready for this?"

A spark of nerves hit him, but Kurt remember Blaine's advice. "I think so," he said slowly.

"Good luck, Kurt," said Mercedes, kissing his cheek.

"And now the McKinley High School New Directions!" said the announcer.

Kurt took a shaky breath and then walked on stage, all by himself. He didn't stop and look at the crowd until he was center stage.

The sight of them almost took his breath away.

Then, he saw Blaine right there with the rest of the Warblers, where New Directions had been sitting for their performance. He was smiling at him and when he noticed his gaze, raised his hand for a thumbs up.

Kurt nodded and the crowd, including Blaine, melted away. In his memory, he saw the day of his mother's funeral and his dad holding his hand tightly.

Instead of like his performance in front of the Glee club, Mr. Shuester had asked him to do the first verse without any music accompanying him. Kurt had to admit, it was a good choice. It was just him, on the stage, singing his heart out - his voice pure and strong.

"_Oh yeah, I'll tell you something_

_I think you'll understand_

_When I say that something_

_I wanna hold your hand_

_I wanna hold your hand_

_I wanna hold your hand_."

The band at the back of the stage began to play then, swelling violins and cello, Brad playing the piano softly.

Like that, Kurt's nerves all but disappeared. His feelings for this song, for his dad, were just as strong as when he first sang it in Glee club that day. He felt his eyes welling up with tears, but didn't stop them.

Near the end of the song, the rest of New Directions walked on stage slowly, creating harmonies in the background.

"And when I touch you I feel happy, inside

Its such a feeling

That my love

I can't hide

I can't hide

I can't hide."

Kurt could feel some tears finally fall from his eyes and on to his cheeks. He didn't reach up to dry them, instead plowing forward to the last verse. The instruments stopped behind him, only the sounds of New Directions melting with his voice.

"Yeah you, got that something

I think you'll understand

When I feel that something

I wanna hold your hand

I wanna hold your hand

I wanna hold your hand."

Kurt released a breath he didn't know he was holding. He reached up and finally wiped the tears that had fell.

The sound of the audience's applause was almost deafening, especially because they had faded from his radar from the moment he began to sing. They were back, however, and Kurt saw Blaine suddenly. He was standing, clapping and grinning.

Kurt smiled at the audience softly and stepped back to join the rest of his Glee club. It was now Santana's turn for her solo.

It had been decided that this year's Sectionals would focus on those who never got solos - and stray away from their usual Rachel + Ballad + Finn duet routine. Plus, Brittany and Mike had went all out on the dancing.

When they had finished with the upbeat "Valerie" they left the stage quickly. They were standing backstage, high from their performance, when the Hipsters and the Warblers joined them before going on stage.

"Kurt!"

Kurt looked over to see Blaine, standing slightly away from his Glee club and next to Kurt.

"Hi…Blaine," said Kurt, smiling shyly at the boy.

"You were amazing," he said with a smile. "I mean…wow. You were completely moving and if I hadn't known better, I would never knew you were nervous at all!"

"Thank you," said Kurt. "You were amazing as well. It was sure a surprise to see you on that stage," he laughed.

"Oh yeah," laughed Blaine. "I guess I never mentioned I was performing as well."

Kurt was aware that the rest of New Directions was staring at them with confused expressions - even some of the Warblers were taking an interest in their lead soloist.

"Look, Kurt," said Blaine quickly, looking suddenly serious and…slightly nervous? "I wanted to say something before we go up there and one of us wins or loses. I hope I'm not wrong in assuming this, either, because then I'll feel like a total tool but…" Blaine hesitated for a moment and stepped forward, closer to Kurt and grabbed his hand, making Kurt's heart stop for a moment. "Would you like to get some coffee with me sometime? Maybe go out to dinner…?"

Kurt blinked at him for a long moment. "You mean…like…"

"A date," said Blaine quickly, then his cheeks turned a bit red.

"Oh." Kurt had never been asked out in his life - and Brittany did not count, thank you very much. "You're… you're gay?"

Wow, why don't you just put your foot in your mouth? Nice one, Kurt.

Blaine grinned. "Very," he said. "I hope, once again, I'm not wrong in assuming that you're…" Blaine let his sentence hang in the air.

"You're not," said Kurt, blushing. "I…I would really like that. The coffee and dinner, that is."

Blaine's grin was instantaneous. "Great!" Suddenly the groups were called to the stage. New Directions were still staring at Kurt, mouths agape - Kurt realized that they had probably heard everything that they had just said. "I'll get your number later - if you still want to give it to me, that is."

"Of course."

Kurt was dimly aware that the Hipsters were given third place and then left the stage. Then, the impossible happened -

"It's a tie!" laughed the man announcing the results.

The audience, and the two Glee clubs on stage, were momentarily stunned, then there was a polite applause. Mr. Shue was handed the trophy, though he shook the hands of a few of the Warblers and began talking to a tall Asian boy.

"Hey."

Kurt looked away from Mercedes, who he was hugging with joy and looked at Blaine. "I guess we're still….well, competition," said Blaine with a blush. "I can understand if you don't really want to still do that coffee…"

Kurt looked at Mercedes with a questioning look. His best friend was staring at Blaine with wide eyes, then back to Kurt. "Boy, I know you're not going to deny this stud muffin a date."

Kurt blushed and avoided looking at Blaine. "But Mercedes - everything that happened with Jesse and Rachel last year -"

"Who cares?" said Mercedes. "You're not little miss diva. You're a big boy and take care of yourself. Plus," said Mercedes, looking at Blaine. "He did ask you out before the results. But, if you so much as hurt my boy," said Mercedes, walking up to Blaine. "You'll wish you were never born."

Blaine held up his hands in surrender. "I got it," he laughed. "So, Kurt…"

Kurt tried to keep his smile under control. "Give me your phone." Blaine handed him a slim phone and Kurt quickly entered his number, his hands shaking. "Don't be a stranger," said Kurt, handing it back to him.

"I won't," said Blaine grinning. "You guys were really spectacular - you'll be very worthy competition at Regional's."

"You as well," said Kurt with a nod.

Kurt and the rest of the glee club were walking back to the dressing room when Puck's arm found itself around Kurt's shoulders. "What's that about all-boys schools and not being gay, Hummel? Because I heard you got lucky."

"Nose down, Puckerman," said Kurt, moving out of Puck's grasp.

Once they were on the bus thirty minutes later, Mercedes demanded details of this boy and Rachel was beginning to lecture him on the dangers of dating the enemy - when Kurt's phone vibrated in his pocket.

Kurt pulled it out and saw there was a text from an unfamiliar number. He opened it and grinned.

**I really hope this is Kurt and not some random number. This is Blaine. **

Kurt texted back quickly, raising a finger to Mercedes to hold on a moment as Rachel continued with her diatribe.

_It certainly is Kurt. Hello there. I didn't expect to you text so soon. _

**Of course I would. **Blaine replied. Then another text came in after a second.

**I'm on the bus with the guys now and sorta miss you already. Is that weird?**

_Not at all_, replied Kurt, his heard beating wildly.

**Good. Kurt, I just wanted to tell you that your performance today really moved me. And your voice is spectacular. **

_Thank you. I'm blushing. _

**When you blush, you're kind of adorable. I noticed when I was asking you out.**

Kurt's face heated up at this, and Mercedes was trying very hard to see the text, but Kurt moved the phone from her view.

_**Well then, I must be gorgeous right now, because my face is probably a fire truck. **_

**I don't doubt that. **

_I'm going to have to get used to your flirtatious attitude. I've…I've never had anyone flirt with me before, honestly. _

Kurt wondered if the text was too much, because it took Blaine a little longer to respond.

**I haven't either. I'm glad we have that in common, because I'm pretty sure my flirting sucks. **

_I think it's pretty effective. _

**Well, that makes me feel better. **

**Do you think we could meet for coffee tomorrow, after school? **

**Wow, I hope that wasn't too soon.**

These three texts came one after another, making Kurt grin.

_That sounds great. Text me with details later - when and where. _

**Cool. I should let you get back to your friends. I'm pretty sure the one that threatened me is probably sitting next to you. I don't want her to think I'm stealing you. **

Kurt grinned. Ok, say he got points there with not wanting to take Kurt from his friends. Mercedes would probably approve.

_Mercedes. And yes, she's glaring at me and insisting I give her details. _

**My friends are wanting to talk to me about my sudden change in our songs, too. I should go. **

_Sudden change in songs? _Texted with a frown.

**We were suppose to do "Hey Soul Sister" but I asked for us to sing "Teenage Dream" instead. **

_Why_?

**Well, I met this guy before the show and I sort of wanted to impress him…or serenade him. It was probably a cheesy idea. **

Kurt stared at the phone for a long moment, his mouth slightly open. Oh. My. Gosh. Teenage Dream was…for him?

_Oh. Well, I'm sure the guy was very flattered with the song. And…I bet it definitely wooed him, so to speak. _

**Well then, when Wes and David yell at me, I'll remember that it was worth it. **

Kurt grinned, probably stupidly, at his phone.

_I'll talk to you later, Blaine. _

**I hope so, Kurt. **

Kurt put his phone back in his pocket and turned to Mercedes and began spilling details left and right.

The day had been something of a dream and Kurt was hoping he would never wake up.

**FIN**

**I hope the texting wasn't too confusing - Blaine was in bold and Kurt was Italics. **

**Anyway, I hope you enjoyed that. I thought up most of it when I was in the shower and had to write it down! Feedback is welcomed! **


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